Methods and systems for identifying navigable elements affected by weather conditions

ABSTRACT

A method of determining whether one or more navigable elements of a navigable network within a geographic area are still affected by a precipitation weather event. A quantity parameter is associated with each segment of an electronic map representing the navigable network and indicates the amount of precipitation remaining on the navigable element or portion thereof represented by the segment. The value of the quantity parameter increases in the presence of any precipitation weather event, and decreases according to a predefined function with respect to time in the absence of any such precipitation weather event. A speed of travel of one or more devices along the navigable element or portion thereof represented by a segment is determined and compared to an expected speed of travel for the segment; the value of the quantity parameter being decreased based on the comparison. The value of quantity parameter can be used to generate weather events and/or attribute the cause of a congestion event as being the precipitation weather event.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods and systems for identifyingnavigable elements of a network of navigable elements along whichtraffic flow may be considered to be affected by weather conditions. Theinvention may further relate to methods and systems for determiningwhether one or more navigable elements of a navigable network are stillaffected by an earlier precipitation weather event, The invention mayextend to generating data indicative of a weather event in relation tosuch identified elements, and may also extend to generating dataindicative of a congestion event caused by adverse weather in relationto such identified elements.

Background to the Invention

Road users increasingly rely upon traffic flow information to informthem of any incidents which may affect travel time on a journey, and tohelp plan travel. Such information may be provided to a user duringnavigation along a route via an in-car navigation device, such as a PNDor integrated device, or may be provided as an input to an AdvancedDriver Assistance System (ADAS). Traffic information may also be usedfor route planning, e.g. by a navigation device or ADAS, beforecommencing a journey, or to recalculate a fastest route during a journeyif conditions change en route. The information has conventionally beenbased on messages sent over an FM radio network via the Traffic MessageChannel (TMC), which may be received by navigation devices and conveyedto a user, or otherwise used by an ADAS or navigation system. A typicalTMC message would include information identifying a geographic location,type and direction of an incident according to certain standard codes.

More recently other traffic information systems have been developed,such as the “HD Traffic™” system developed by TomTom International B.V.,which relies at least in part upon other sources of traffic information.For example, the HD Traffic system is based upon so-called “probe” data,obtained from mobile phones, PNDs and other devices having positioningcapability located in vehicles, which can be used to identify locationsand speeds of vehicles, and thus indicate traffic conditions.

The above systems have improved the accuracy with which trafficinformation can be provided to users of navigation devices. However,such systems typically attribute any significant reduction in trafficflow along a navigable element relative to a free flow speed of travelalong the element to the presence of a traffic jam. The Applicant hasrealised that a reduction in traffic flow along a navigable element maynot always, at least solely, be the result of a traffic jam on theelement. In particular, weather conditions may also affect traffic flowalong a navigable element, whether or not a traffic jam is also present.The Applicant has realised that it would be advantageous to be able toidentify those navigable elements of a navigable network of elementsalong which traffic flow may be considered to be affected by weatherconditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided amethod of identifying navigable elements along which traffic flow isaffected by adverse weather conditions in a navigable network within ageographic area, the method comprising: obtaining weather dataindicative of weather conditions in the geographic area;

obtaining positional data relating to the movement of a plurality ofdevices along the navigable element with respect to time;

using the positional data to determine a current speed of travel alongthe navigable element; comparing the determined current speed of travelto a free flow speed for the navigable element; determining whether thenavigable element is affected by one or more adverse weather conditions,when said comparison indicates the current speed of travel along theelement is reduced relative to the free flow speed for the navigableelement, and wherein said reduction is less than a threshold associatedwith identifying a congestion event as affecting the navigable element;and generating data indicative of a weather event affecting traffic flowalong the element, when the navigable element is determined to beaffected by one or more adverse weather conditions.

The present invention extends to a system for carrying out a method inaccordance with any of the embodiments of the invention describedherein.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided asystem for identifying navigable elements along which traffic flow isaffected by adverse weather conditions in a navigable network within ageographic area, the system comprising:

means for obtaining weather data indicative of weather conditions in thegeographic area;

means for obtaining positional data relating to the movement of aplurality of devices along the navigable element with respect to time;

means for using the positional data to determine a current speed oftravel along the navigable element;

means for comparing the determined current speed of travel to a freeflow speed for the navigable element;

means for determining whether the navigable element is affected by oneor more adverse weather conditions, when said comparison indicates thecurrent speed of travel along the element is reduced relative to thefree flow speed for the navigable element, and wherein said reduction isless than a threshold associated with identifying a congestion event asaffecting the navigable element; and

means for generating data indicative of a weather event affectingtraffic flow along the element, when the navigable element is determinedto be affected by one or more adverse weather conditions.

It will be appreciated that any feature described by reference to thefirst aspect of the invention may equally be applied to embodiments inaccordance with the second aspect of the invention and vice versa. Thus,if not explicitly stated herein, the system of the present invention maycomprise means for carrying out any of the steps of the methoddescribed. The means for carrying out any of the steps of the method maycomprise a set of one or more processors configured, e.g. programmed,for doing so. A given step may be carried out using the same or adifferent set of processors to any other step. Any given step may becarried out using a combination of sets of processors. The system mayfurther comprise data storage means, such as computer memory, forstoring, for example, data indicative of a congestion and/or weatherevent, and/or the positional data used to determine the existence of acongestion and/or weather event.

The present invention in any of its aspects involves comparing a current(or near current) average speed of travel along a navigable element of anavigable network to a free flow speed for the element. If the currentaverage speed is indicative of a reduction in the speed of travel alongthe element relative to the free flow speed, but is less than athreshold associated with identifying a congestion event, such as atraffic jam, as affecting the navigable element, then it is determinedwhether the element is affected by one or more adverse weatherconditions. If it is found that the element is affected by one or moreadverse weather conditions, data indicative of a weather event affectingtraffic flow along the element is generated. Thus, by consideration of areduction in speed along an element, an inference as to the presence ofa weather event may be made. In particular, if traffic flow is reduced,but by an amount which is less than an amount that is considered to beindicative of a traffic jam, and additionally, weather data indicativeof one or more adverse weather conditions on the navigable elementexists, then it is determined that there is a weather event affectingflow along the element. Conventionally, in traffic monitoring systems,such reductions in speed are ignored, since it is typically not possibleto assign a suitable cause to the event, and thus it is not knownwhether it would be helpful to inform drivers of the event. Dataindicative of the generated weather event may be provided, for example,to users of navigation devices, such as navigation devices associatedwith vehicles. Such devices may be mobile devices, such as portablenavigation devices (PNDs), advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) orintegrated in-vehicle systems. By providing the ability to identifyweather events affecting traffic flow along elements of a navigableelement, the present invention may allow information to be provided todrivers that may warn them of the weather conditions and/or which may betaken into account when determining a route across the navigablenetwork.

The methods of the present invention are, in preferred embodiments,implemented by a server. Thus, in embodiments, the system of the presentinvention comprises a server comprising the means for carrying out thevarious steps described, and the method steps described herein arecarried out by a server.

Any of the steps of the invention described herein may be carried out inrelation to one or more navigable elements of the navigable network.

The present invention considers live positional data relating to themovement of a plurality of devices with respect to time along one ormore navigable element of a navigable network to determine whethertraffic flow along the element may be affected by a traffic jam and/oradverse weather conditions. It will be appreciated that the navigablenetwork as referred to herein is a real world or physical navigablenetwork, e.g. a road network. The invention is applicable, however, toany navigable network, e.g. networks of paths, rivers, canals, cyclepaths, tow paths, railway lines, or the like.

The network may be represented electronically by digital map data. Thedigital map data may be stored by or otherwise accessible by the server,in embodiments in which the method is implemented using a server. In thedigital map data, the navigable network is represented by a plurality ofnavigable segments connected by nodes, wherein a navigable element ofthe network may be represented by one or more navigable segments.Embodiments of the present invention are described with reference toroad segments and elements, and preferably the navigable elementsrepresent highways with free flow speeds of more than 100 km/h(kilometres per hour). It should be realised that the invention may alsobe applicable to other types of navigable elements. For ease ofreference these are commonly referred to as road elements.

The positional data used in accordance with the invention is positionaldata relating to the movement of a plurality of devices along the oreach navigable element with respect to time. The method may compriseobtaining positional data relating to the movement of a plurality ofdevices with respect to time in the navigable network, and filtering thepositional data to obtain positional data relating to the movement of aplurality of devices with respect to time along the or each givennavigable element along which traffic flow is to be considered inrelation to potential congestion and/or weather conditions. The step ofobtaining the positional data relating to the movement of devices alongthe or each navigable element may be carried out by reference to thedigital map data indicative of the navigable network. The method mayinvolve the step of matching positional data relating to the movement ofdevices in a geographic region including the navigable network to atleast the or each navigable element that is being considered inaccordance with the invention.

In embodiments, the method comprises obtaining positional data relatingto the movement of a plurality of devices along one or more navigablesegments of the digital map representative of the navigable network withrespect to time in a given time period.

In some arrangements the step of obtaining the positional data maycomprise accessing the data, i.e. the data being previously received andstored. The positional data is used to determine current, or at leastnear current, speeds of travel along the navigable elements, and thus is“live” positional data. It will be appreciated, however, that the datamay be stored shortly before being used. In other arrangements themethod may comprise receiving the positional data from the devices. Inembodiments in which the step of obtaining the data involves receivingthe data from the devices, it is envisaged that the method may furthercomprise storing the received positional data before proceeding to carryout the other steps of the present invention, and optionally filteringthe data. The step of receiving the positional data need not take placeat the same time or place as the other step or steps of the method.

The positional data used in accordance with the invention is collectedfrom one or more, and preferably multiple, devices, and relates to themovement of the devices with respect to time. Thus, the devices aremobile devices. It will be appreciated that at least some of thepositional data is associated with temporal data, e.g. a timestamp. Forthe purposes of the present invention, however, it is not necessary thatall positional data is associated with temporal data, provided that itmay be used to provide the information relating to the movement ofdevices along a navigable element in accordance with the presentinvention. However, in preferred embodiments all positional data isassociated with temporal data, e.g. a timestamp.

The positional data relates to the movement of the devices with respectto time, and may be used to provide a positional “trace” of the pathtaken by the device. As mentioned above, the data may be received fromthe device(s) or may first be stored. The devices may be any mobiledevices that are capable of providing the positional data and sufficientassociated timing data for the purposes of the present invention. Thedevice may be any device having position determining capability. Forexample, the device may comprise means for accessing and receivinginformation from WiFi access points or cellular communication networks,such as a GSM device, and using this information to determine itslocation. In preferred embodiments, however, the device comprises aglobal navigation satellite systems (GNSS) receiver, such as a GPSreceiver, for receiving satellite signals indication the position of thereceiver at a particular point in time, and which preferably receivesupdated position information at regular intervals. Such devices mayinclude navigation devices, mobile telecommunications devices withpositioning capability, position sensors, etc.

Preferably the device is associated with a vehicle. In these embodimentsthe position of the device will correspond to the position of thevehicle. References to positional data obtained from devices associatedwith vehicles, may be replaced by a reference to positional dataobtained from a vehicle, and references to the movement of a device ordevices may be replaced by a reference to the movement of a vehicle, andvice versa, if not explicitly mentioned. The device may be integratedwith the vehicle, or may be a separate device associated with thevehicle such as a portable navigation apparatus. Of course, thepositional data may be obtained from a combination of different devices,or a single type of device.

The positional data obtained from the plurality of devices is commonlyknown as “probe data”. Data obtained from devices associated withvehicles may be referred to as vehicle probe data. References to “probedata” herein should therefore be understood as being interchangeablewith the term “positional data”, and the positional data may be referredto as probe data for brevity herein.

The present invention provides “live”, i.e. short term, detection oftraffic jams and/or adverse weather events, based on current or nearcurrent data.

The method of the present invention involves obtaining and using “live”positional data relating to the movement of a plurality of devices withrespect to time along the or each navigable element that is assessed inaccordance with the invention. Live data may be thought of as data whichis relatively current and provides an indication of relatively currentconditions on each navigable element. The live data may typically relateto the conditions on the elements within the last 30 minutes, 15minutes, 10 minutes or 5 minutes. By using live positional data indetermining the traffic jam and/or weather event information, it may beassumed that the information determined is currently applicable, and maybe applicable in the future, at least in the shorter term. The use oflive positional data allows accurate and up to date information to bedetermined, that can be relied upon by road users and/or navigationdevices or ADAS.

The positional data is used to determine an average speed of travelalong the navigable element in a given time period, e.g. a time periodin the recent past, such as the last two minutes; the average speed thusbeing indicative of a current average speed. In embodiments, in whichthe obtained positional data relates to the movement of a plurality ofdevices along one or more navigable segments of a digital map, thepositional data is used to determine an average speed of travel along atthe one or more navigable segments in the given time period.

The present invention involves the step of comparing the determinedcurrent average speed of travel along a navigable element to a free flowspeed for the navigable element. The free flow speed of a navigableelement is indicative of the average speed of vehicles traversing theelement during a period of time in which there is no or substantiallylittle traffic. This period may for example be one or more night-timehours where the attainable speed may be less influenced by other users.Such free-flow speeds will still reflect the influence of speed limits,road layout and traffic management infrastructure for example. Inembodiments data indicative of the free flow speed is associated, in thedigital map data, with data indicative of the navigable segmentrepresenting the navigable element to which it relates. Under theseconditions, it may be assumed with greater certainty that an appreciablereduction in the average speed of travel is indicative of the presenceof an event affecting traffic flow along the element, i.e. a congestionevent, such as a traffic jam, and/or adverse weather event.

The method may extend to the step of obtaining the free flow speed forthe or each navigable element or segment. The step of obtaining the freeflow speed for an element or segment may comprise analysing positionaldata relating to the movement of devices that traversed the navigableelement or segment within a given predetermined time period. Therelevant data may be obtained by suitable filtering of the positionaldata by reference to time. In order to be able to obtain a free flowspeed, the predetermined time period should be chosen appropriately sothat it will include data relating to movements which are representativeof movements made under free-flow conditions. Typically the time periodwill be relatively long, such as a 24 hour period, or longer. Forexample, a week long period, or even a month or longer period might beconsidered, if free flow conditions do not occur every day, or week,etc. The step of obtaining the free-flow speed for an element or segmentmay comprise analysing positional data relating to the movement ofdevices that traversed the element or segment within a givenpredetermined time period, preferably wherein the free flow timeobtained by averaging the speed of different devices traversing theelement or segment in the given time period. In embodiments in which thenavigable elements are represented by segments of a digital map, dataindicative of a free flow speed may be associated with each segment.

The method of the present invention comprises the step of comparing thecurrent speed of travel based on the positional data to the free flowspeed for an element. Any reduction in speed that is determined may be areduction in speed along at least a portion of the affected element. Itwill be appreciated that a navigable stretch along which traffic flow isreduced, whether due to congestion, a weather event, or for any otherreason, may comprise at least a portion of one or more navigableelement.

In embodiments, when the current speed of travel along the element isreduced relative to the free flow speed for the navigable element bymore than a first threshold, the method comprises identifying, andoptionally generating data indicative of, a congestion event affectingthe element. The congestion event may be reflective of one or more of:stationary traffic (e.g. having a speed less than 20% of free flow);queuing traffic (e.g. having a speed between 20% and 40% of free flow);and slow moving traffic (e.g. having a speed between 40% and the firstthreshold). The first threshold may be a fixed percentage value of thefree flow speed, such as 60% (i.e. a reduction of 40%), or it may be adynamic value that varies depending on the applicable navigable element.For example, historical traffic patterns may allow a congestion to beidentified at different percentage values on different navigableelements; such techniques can be found, for example, in WO 2012/104392A1 and WO 2012/104393 A1, the entire content of which is incorporatedherein by reference. In any event, the first threshold is set as areduction in speed relative to the free flow speed that is attributableto a congestion event on the element. The method may comprise, when areduction in the current speed of travel along the element relative tothe free flow speed for the navigable element does not exceed the firstthreshold, not generating data indicative of congestion, e.g. a trafficjam, affecting traffic flow along the element. In embodiments, and aswill be discussed in more detail below, an identified congestion eventcan also be attributed to adverse weather conditions, i.e. that thecause of the traffic jam on a navigable element is due to bad weather,such as heavy precipitation (rain, snow, etc), fog, high winds, etc.

In the method of the present invention, when the comparison indicatesthat the current speed of travel along a navigable element is reducedrelative to the free flow speed, but less than the first thresholdindicative of a congestion event discussed above, a determination as tothe existence of a weather event may be made. In embodiments, the such adetermination is made only when the current speed of travel is reducedrelative to the free flow speed by more than a second threshold. Thesecond threshold may be set, by way of example, at a reduction of 20%relative to the free flow speed (i.e. 80% of the free flow speed). Thesecond threshold is a predetermined threshold that has been set as beingindicative of a level of reduction in speed along the element that ispotentially attributable to adverse weather conditions affecting trafficflow on the element. Such a threshold may be set as desired, and may bea fixed value or a variable value that depends, for example, on theapplicable navigable element.

The second threshold is set such that a reduction in speed that is lessthan that defined by the first threshold, but greater than that set bythe second threshold, may be taken as not indicative of a congestionevent, e.g. traffic jam, for the purposes of the invention. Thisreduction in flow is potentially attributable to adverse weatherconditions. Conventional techniques would typically not adequately dealwith such lesser degrees of reduction in traffic flow. By attributingreduction in traffic flow only to congestion, e.g. traffic jams, suchtechniques would have to either determine the presence of a traffic jameven for these lesser degrees of reduction in flow, when in reality ajam might not exist, or otherwise disregard the reduction in flow.However, the Applicant has realised that in some cases, such reductionin flow may be attributable to adverse weather conditions. Where this isthe case, it would be desirable to be able to disseminate suchinformation. This may enable a driver to take appropriate precautions,e.g. reduce speed ahead of the affected region, or, may enable a routingengine to route around the affected region.

The method may comprise the step of determining whether the navigableelement is affected by one or more (adverse) weather conditions whenthere is a reduction in current speed relative to the free flow speedless than that indicative of congestion, e.g. when the current speedalong the element is reduced relative to the free flow speed anywherewithin a range defined between the first threshold and the secondthreshold. Thus, the first and second thresholds may define the upperand lower limits for the reduction respectively.

Nonetheless, it is envisaged that the method may involve the use of atleast one third thresholds between the first and second thresholds,wherein the step of determining whether a navigable element is affectedby one or more adverse weather conditions is carried out where thereduction in speed of travel lies anywhere within the range definedbetween the at least one third and second thresholds. In other words,the upper limit to the range of reduction for which weather conditionsare considered may or may not correspond to the first threshold.

When it is determined that the navigable element is affected by (atleast one) adverse weather condition, the method comprises generatingdata indicative of a weather event affecting traffic flow along theelement. Preferably, the data indicative of the weather event comprisesat least one of: data indicative of the location of the weather event onthe navigable network (e.g. with respect to a stretch of the digitalmap; the stretch comprises at least a portion of one or more segments);data indicative of the type of weather condition and/or severity of theweather condition (i.e. the type of weather event); the speed of travel(i.e. the determined reduced speed relative to the free flow speed)associated with the weather event; and data indicative of a time ofapplicability for the weather event, e.g. a start time, duration and/orend time. Thus, where it is determined that there is a reduction inspeed along an element of an amount between the first and secondthresholds, and it is found that one or more adverse weather conditionsare affecting that element, then the a weather event is generated. Thisweather event may be used by devices e.g. to provide a warning to auser.

The method may further comprise, for a navigable element for which ithas been determined that a reduction in the speed of travel along theelement exceeds the second threshold but not the first threshold, and inrespect of which a weather event has been generated, determiningsubsequently that the reduction in the average speed of travel along theelement as indicated by the current speed for the element has exceededthe first threshold, and additionally generating data indicative of acongestion event affecting the element. Thus, the reduction in speed oftravel along an element may be determined at one or more subsequenttimes, e.g. periodically, and compared once more to the secondthreshold.

The method may comprise, when a reduction in the current speed of travelalong the element relative to the free flow speed for the navigableelement is determined, wherein said reduction is less than a threshold,e.g. the first threshold, associated with identifying a congestionevent, but wherein the navigable element is determined not to beaffected by one or more adverse weather conditions, not generating dataindicative of a weather event affecting traffic flow along the element.

In some embodiments, and wherein a congestion event has been identifiedas affecting a navigable element, e.g. when the current speed of travelalong the navigable element is reduced relative to the free flow speedby more than the first threshold, a determination can be made as towhether the cause of the congestion event can be attributed to anadverse weather condition, e.g. instead of the volume of the vehiclestravelling along navigable element, road works or other construction onthe navigable element, etc. Indeed, it is considered that the marking ofcongestion events as being related to particular adverse weatherconditions may be new and inventive in its own right.

Thus, in accordance with a third aspect of the invention there isprovided a method of identifying navigable elements along which trafficflow is affected by adverse weather conditions in a navigable networkwithin a geographic area, the method comprising:

obtaining weather data indicative of weather conditions in thegeographic area;

obtaining positional data relating to the movement of a plurality ofdevices along the navigable element with respect to time, and using thepositional data to identify a congestion event as affecting traffic flowalong the navigable element;

determining whether the cause of the congestion event is attributable toone or more adverse weather conditions using one or more attributes ofthe congestion event, when the navigable element is determined to beaffected by one or more adverse weather conditions; and

associating data indicative of the one or more adverse weatherconditions with the identified congestion event, when the cause of thecongestion event is determined to be attributable to the one or moreadverse weather conditions.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided asystem for identifying navigable elements along which traffic flow isaffected by adverse weather conditions in a navigable network within ageographic area, the system comprising:

means for obtaining weather data indicative of weather conditions in thegeographic area;

means for obtaining positional data relating to the movement of aplurality of devices along the navigable element with respect to time,and using the positional data to identify a congestion event asaffecting traffic flow along the navigable element;

means for determining whether the cause of the congestion event isattributable to one or more adverse weather conditions using one or moreattributes of the congestion event, when the navigable element isdetermined to be affected by one or more adverse weather conditions; and

means for associating data indicative of the one or more adverse weatherconditions with the identified congestion event, when the cause of thecongestion event is determined to be attributable to the one or moreadverse weather conditions.

It will be appreciated that any feature described by reference to thethird aspect of the invention may equally be applied to embodiments inaccordance with the fourth aspect of the invention and vice versa. Themeans for carrying out any of the steps of the method may comprise a setof one or more processors configured, e.g. programmed, for doing so. Agiven step may be carried out using the same or a different set ofprocessors to any other step. Any given step may be carried out using acombination of sets of processors. The system may further comprise datastorage means, such as computer memory, for storing, for example, dataindicative of a congestion and/or weather event, and/or the positionaldata used to determine the existence of a congestion and/or weatherevent.

Furthermore, the present invention in these further aspects may includeany or all of the features described in relation to the first and secondaspects of the invention, and vice versa, to the extent that they arenot mutually inconsistent.

The attribution of a congestion event to one or more adverse weatherconditions is based on one or more attributes of the congestion event,and, in embodiments, is based on a speed of travel within the congestionevent (such as the current speed determined using the positional data asdescribed above) and/or a start time of the congestion event (e.g. thetime at which the determined current speed was reduced relative to thefree flow speed by more than the first threshold).

The attribution may be based on a distribution of speeds within thecongestion event. For example, the method may comprise determining adistribution of speeds along the portion of the element deemed to beaffected by the congestion event, and identifying the cause of thecongestion event to adverse weather only when the distribution of speedis below a given threshold. This may be determined by consideration of astandard deviation or other measure of variance of speeds. It has beenfound that adverse weather tends to result in a smaller variation ofspeeds within the area of restricted flow than would be expected in thecase of a conventional traffic jam (or other congestion event) caused bynon-weather events.

Alternatively, or additionally, the attribution may be based upon acomparison of a speed of travel within the congestion event (e.g. acurrent average speed) with and an applicable expected speed of travelalong the element. For example, the method may comprise determining anapplicable expected speed of travel along the element, and attributingthe cause of the congestion event as being weather related when thedetermined speed of travel within the congestion event is irregularrelative to the applicable expected speed of travel, e.g. is bigger orsmaller than the applicable expected speed of travel by more than apredetermined amount. In embodiments in which the navigable elements arerepresented by segments of a digital map, data indicative of at leastone expected speed of travel may be associated with each segment. The oreach expected speed of travel may be any suitable expected speed oftravel indicative of the expected average speed of travel along theelement. The expected speed of travel may be time dependent. Thus the oreach expected speed of travel may be in respect of an applicable giventime period.

The expected speed of travel along a navigable element may, in someembodiments, be a historical speed of travel along the navigableelement. In this context the words “historic” or “historical” should beconsidered to indicate data that is not live. Historic average speedsand historic travel times may for example relate to events occurringdays, weeks or even years in the past. A historic average speed may berecorded directly, or may be calculated from a recorded historic traveltime across the segment. Historical positional data can also be referredto as aggregated positional data, since it will typically comprisepositional data from a plurality of different mobile devices collectedover an extended period of time, such as a number of weeks or months.Historical positional data is therefore useful in analysing therepeating patterns in the behaviour of vehicles on portions of thenetwork over long time periods (such as the average speed of travelalong a road at various different times of the day). The historicalspeed of travel along a navigable element may be an average historicalspeed of travel. An element may have a plurality of historic averagespeeds of travel associated therewith, e.g. with each average speedbeing representative of the average speed along the segment during aparticular time period. The time periods may be in respect of differenttimes of day and days of the week.

The method may extend to the step of obtaining historical speed data,e.g. average speed data, for a navigable element. The method may or maynot extend to the step of determining the historic speed data associatedwith a navigable element. The step of obtaining the historic speed datamay simply involve accessing the applicable data. In some embodimentshistoric speed data, and preferably historic average speed data, isstored in association with each navigable segment of a digital map thatis representative of the navigable elements of the navigable network. Ina preferred embodiment, the historic speed data for traversing anavigable element is obtained using positional data relating to themovement of a plurality of devices with respect to time along thenavigable element. In other words, vehicle probe data is used. Thepositional or probe data may be of any of the types described above inrelation to the live positional data that is used, but instead beinghistorical data. An average speed associated with an element can bedetermined according to the method described in WO 2009/053411 A1; theentire contents of which is incorporated by reference. In this method aplurality of time-stamped position data is preferably captured/uploadedfrom a plurality of navigation devices, such as portable navigationsdevices (PNDs). This data is preferably divided into a plurality oftraces, with each trace representing data received from a navigationdevice over a predetermined time period. An average may then be taken ofthe recorded speeds within each predetermined time period for eachnavigable element.

The expected speed of travel along a navigable element may, in someembodiments, be a historical jam speed of travel for the navigableelement. The historical jam speed is derived from historical speed data,and is an indication of the typical speed of travel across an element(or segment in the context of a digital map) when there is a congestionevent (or traffic jam). Methods for deriving historical jam speeds aredescribed in WO 2012/104392 A1; the entire contents of which isincorporated herein by reference. For example, the jam speed may be anindication of the most likely average speed of travel across the element(or segment) when there is a congestion event, or an average of allaverage speeds below a jam threshold speed (which is a speed at whichcongestion can be said to exist, e.g. the first threshold describedabove).

Alternatively, or additionally, the attribution may comprise determininga start time for the or each determined adverse weather condition, e.g.using weather data, and comparing the start time to a start time of thecongestion event. Where the start time of the congestion event precedesthe start time of the or each weather condition, then it may bedetermined that the weather condition is not responsible for the speedreduction.

Alternatively, or additionally, the attribution may comprise determiningwhether there are other navigable elements in proximity to the givenelement also affected by congestion events, and which are all affectedby the same one or more adverse weather conditions. If there are otherelements exhibiting a similar reduction in flow speed (i.e. speed oftravel along the element), then it may be assumed that the congestionevent may be attributed to the weather condition(s).

In any of the embodiments of the invention in which it is determinedwhether a navigable element is affected by an adverse weather condition,the adverse weather condition may be any of: presence or amount ofprecipitation, for example rain, hail, sleet or snow; wind speed ordirection; presence or amount of lying snow; presence or amount of ice;level of visibility; presence or amount of fog; and/or temperature.Adverse weather conditions may comprise any of the above types ofweather, but only when the weather condition is above a predeterminedlevel of severity. Thus, for example, light rain may not count as anadverse weather condition, whereas heavy rain would count as an adverseweather condition. The method preferably also comprises determining atype or types of any adverse weather condition affecting an element,and/or determining a severity of any weather condition affect an elementto identify whether it qualifies as an adverse weather condition.

The determination may be based on weather data indicative of weatherconditions in the geographic area (within which the navigable networklies). The weather data may be of any suitable type. The weather data isindicative of weather conditions applicable to the current time. Theweather data may be indicative of the expected weather conditionsapplicable to the current time, i.e. forecast conditions, and/or may beindicative of actual weather conditions. Preferably the determination isbased on live weather data, i.e. being based upon live weather reportsindicative of the actual weather. The weather data is indicative of oneor more weather conditions that may have a negative impact on trafficflow, i.e. adverse weather events. Of course the weather data may alsocomprise data indicative in general of conditions affecting regions,whether adverse or not.

In some embodiments the method may comprise using the weather data todetermine whether a navigable element is affected by one or more adverseweather conditions, and preferably a type or types of weather conditionaffecting the element, once a suitable reduction in speed relative tothe free flow speed has been found. The method may then involve lookingup whether the element is affected by an adverse weather condition orconditions (and preferably a type or types of any condition), e.g. usingthe element location to interrogate the weather data. In otherembodiments the method may comprise determining whether the navigableelement is associated with an indication of an adverse weather conditionaffecting the element. Such an indication may be associated with digitalmap data indicative of a segment representing the element. Thus,elements that are affected by an adverse weather condition may alreadybe associated with an indication, such as a flag, as to the presence ofan adverse weather condition. An element may also be associated withdata indicative of a type or types of any weather condition affectingthe element. The method may comprise using weather data indicative ofweather conditions in the geographic area (within which the navigablenetwork lies) to identify a subset of navigable elements of thenavigable network that are affected by an adverse weather condition, andassociating the or each navigable element with an indication as to theexistence of an adverse weather condition affecting the element, andpreferably a type of the or each weather condition. When it is desiredto determine whether a navigable element is affected by one or moreweather conditions, this may be carried out by determining whether theelement is associated with such an indication. Again, a navigableelement may be associated with data indicative of a type or types ofadverse weather condition affecting the element. However or whenever itis used to determine whether a navigable element is affected by anadverse weather condition, the weather data upon which the determinationis based may be obtained from any suitable source or sources of weatherdata. For example, the data may be obtained from a weather server. Theserver may be a different server to a server that, in preferredembodiments, performs the method of the present invention. The weatherdata may be from a repository storing data indicative of one or moreregions of the navigable network currently considered to be affected byone or more adverse weather conditions, optionally wherein the datacomprises data indicative of the type or types of adverse weathercondition affecting the or each region. The repository may be stored bya remote server.

The weather data may be indicative of one or more regions, each beingaffected by one or more adverse weather condition. The weather data mayor may not be in relation to the navigable elements of the navigablenetwork, or navigable segments of a digital map indicative thereof. Forexample, the weather data may provide weather data by reference to theor each navigable element in the navigable network affected by theweather condition. In other embodiments the method comprises using thedata to determine whether the navigable element is affected by anadverse weather condition. This may be carried out by consideration ofthe location of the navigable element, and whether the location lieswithin an affected region according to the weather data.

Data indicative of a congestion and/or a weather event that is generatedmay be associated with data indicative of a duration of the validity forthe congestion and/or weather event. In other words, the data may beassociated with data indicative of a duration for which the event may beconsidered to be applicable. Once this time has expired, the event maybe disregarded, e.g. with the usual expected traversal speed of theelement being used once more.

In embodiments in which data indicative of a congestion and/or weatherevent and, where applicable, its associated speed reduction isgenerated, various actions may be performed in relation to the generateddata. The method may comprise storing data indicative of a generatedcongestion and/or weather event in association with data indicative ofthe element to which it relates, and, where applicable, data indicativeof the associated reduction in speed, e.g. average speed, for theelement. This step may be performed by a server, such that dataindicative of the congestion and/or weather event (and the associateddata) may subsequently be issued.

Where data indicative of a congestion and/or a weather event isgenerated by a server, the method may extend to the step of issuing thedata. The step of issuing the data involves making the data available,for example, to one or more devices, which may be client devices, and/orto another server (which may or may not be a client server). Issuing thedata may involve transmitting data indicative of the congestion and/orweather event and, where applicable, the associated speed reduction tothe or each device or server. The data may be transmitted directly orvia one or more intermediate components, such as another server. Aserver may automatically cause the data to be transmitted to a device orserver, or may cause the data to be transmitted in response to a requestreceived from a device or server. Thus, making the data available mayinvolve transmitting the data or making the data available forsubsequent transmission, for example, to a device or server. Forexample, the server may inform a device or server that the data isavailable, e.g. at a specific location, such that the device or servermay then subsequently retrieve the data from that location.

The data indicative of a congestion and/or weather event, and theassociated data, may be issued to one or more devices e.g. clientdevices. The or each device is preferably associated with a vehicle. Theor each device may be a navigation device, such as a portable navigationdevice (PND) or integrated navigation device, and/or an automaticvehicle management system, e.g. ADAS system associated with a vehicle.Alternatively or additionally, the step of issuing the data may comprisethe server issuing the data to another server e.g. via a communicationnetwork. The server may transmit data indicative of the data to theanother server. The another server may then use the obtained data ornot, depending upon its settings. The another server may in turn issuethe data to one or more client devices associated with vehicles and incommunication therewith. In these embodiments the another server may bearranged to receive a data indicative of a plurality of congestionand/or weather events, e.g. from one or more servers, and may select asubset of the congestion and/or weather events for issue to its clientdevices. The another server may be a server associated with anautomobile manufacturer, navigation system provider, etc.

In any of the embodiments of the invention in which a server generatesthe data indicative of a jam and/or weather event, the server maybroadcast the generated data. The data may be issued, i.e. output in anysuitable manner to enable it to be used by any one of a plurality ofservers and/or devices associated with vehicles, e.g. navigation devicesand/or automatic vehicle control systems. This is in contrast totransmitting the data to a specific navigation device associated with avehicle.

When data indicative of a congestion and/or weather event is received,e.g. by a device associated with a vehicle or a server, the data may ormay not be used by the device or server depending upon the settings ofthe receiving device or server. For example, a congestion and/or weatherevent may only be output when a vehicle travels along an affectedelement, or is travelling along a route that incorporates the affectedelement.

Whether generated by a server, navigation device or otherwise, dataindicative of a congestion and/or weather event message may be used inany suitable manner. Any of the steps described relating to the use ofthe data may be carried out by the same device or server that generatedthe data, or another server or device, e.g. that has received thegenerated data. Preferably the generated data is used by a deviceassociated with a vehicle.

Data indicative of a congestion and/or weather event may be output to adriver, and the method extends to such a step. The data may be output inany suitable manner, including visually, audibly and/or haptically. Thedata may be output by a navigation device. For example, a congestion (ortraffic jam) icon, or a weather warning icon may be shown in a displayedview of the path ahead of the vehicle. Preferably data indicative of aweather event is used to provide a weather warning to a driver.Alternatively, or additionally, the data may be issued to a vehiclecontrol system associated with a vehicle for use by the system incontrolling vehicle behaviour, e.g. an ADAS device. The message may beissued thereto by a server, or a navigation device associated with thevehicle. The vehicle control system may use the data to trigger certainvehicle behaviour, such as to select an appropriate speed for thevehicle, to apply the brakes to slow the vehicle, etc.

It has also been recognised by the Applicant that certain types ofweather, and in particular precipitation, such as rain, sleet, snow,hail, etc, can continue to affect the traffic flow along navigableelements of the navigable network even after the particular weatherevent has passed. For example, snow and water can remain on thenavigable element, e.g. road, path, etc, for a prolonged period of timeafter it has stopped snowing or raining, before it is eventually cleareddue to traffic moving along the element and/or precipitation. Bymonitoring the current condition on navigable elements to determinewhether traffic flow along the elements is still being affected byprevious precipitation weather events, it becomes possible to informusers of hazardous road conditions due to recent adverse weather events,and to continue to generate data indicative of slow moving traffic dueto recent adverse weather and attribute congestion events to recentadverse weather, e.g. as discussed above, even after the precipitationweather event has passed and is no longer directly affecting thenavigable elements.

Thus, in accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention, there isprovided a method of determining whether one or more navigable elementsof a navigable network within a geographic area are still affected by aprecipitation weather event, the navigable elements being represented byone or more segments of an electronic map, wherein at least some of thesegments of the electronic map are each associated with data indicativeof a quantity parameter for the segment, the quantity parameter beingindicative of the amount of precipitation remaining on the navigableelement or portion thereof represented by the segment, wherein the valueof the quantity parameter varies according to a predefined function withrespect to time such that the quantity parameter decreases in theabsence of any precipitation weather event, said method comprising:

obtaining weather data indicative of one or more precipitation weatherevents in the geographic area, wherein each precipitation weather eventaffects at least a portion of the geographic area;

obtaining positional data relating to the movement of a plurality ofdevices along one or more of the navigable elements with respect totime, and using the positional data to determine a speed of travel ofdevices along the one or more navigable elements;

identifying one or more segments representative of navigable elementswithin the portions of the geographic area affected by the one or moreprecipitation weather events, and increasing, for each of the one ormore identified segments, the value of the quantity parameter associatedwith the segment;

comparing, for each of the one or more identified segments, thedetermined speed of travel to an expected speed of travel for thesegment, and decreasing the value of the quantity parameter associatedwith the segment based on the comparison; and

generating, for each of the one or more identified segments, dataindicative of whether the navigable element or portion thereofrepresented by the segment is still affected by the one or moreprecipitation weather events based on the value of the quantityparameter.

Further, in accordance with a sixth aspect of the invention, there isprovided a system for determining whether one or more navigable elementsof a navigable network within a geographic area are still affected by aprecipitation weather event, the navigable elements being represented byone or more segments of an electronic map, wherein at least some of thesegments of the electronic map are each associated with data indicativeof a quantity parameter for the segment, the quantity parameter beingindicative of the amount of precipitation remaining on the navigableelement or portion thereof represented by the segment, wherein the valueof the quantity parameter varies according to a predefined function withrespect to time such that the quantity parameter decreases in theabsence of any precipitation weather event, the system comprising:

means for obtaining weather data indicative of one or more precipitationweather events in the geographic area, wherein each precipitationweather event affects at least a portion of the geographic area;

means for obtaining positional data relating to the movement of aplurality of devices along one or more of the navigable elements withrespect to time, and using the positional data to determine a speed oftravel of devices along the one or more navigable elements;

means for identifying one or more segments representative of navigableelements within the portions of the geographic area affected by the oneor more precipitation weather events, and increasing, for each of theone or more identified segments, the value of the quantity parameterassociated with the segment;

means for comparing, for each of the one or more identified segments,the determined speed of travel to an expected speed of travel for thesegment, and decreasing the value of the quantity parameter associatedwith the segment based on the comparison; and

means for generating, for each of the one or more identified segments,data indicative of whether the navigable element or portion thereofrepresented by the segment is still affected by the one or moreprecipitation weather events based on the value of the quantityparameter.

It will be appreciated that any feature described by reference to thefifth aspect of the invention may equally be applied to embodiments inaccordance with the sixth aspect of the invention and vice versa. Themeans for carrying our any of the steps of the method may comprise a setof one or more processors configured, e.g. programmed, for doing so. Agiven step may be carried out using the same or a different set ofprocessors to any other step. Any given step may be carried out using acombination of sets of processors. The system may further comprise datastorage means, such as computer memory, for storing, for example, thequantity parameters, the positional data, etc.

Furthermore, the present invention in these further aspects may includeany or all of the features described in relation to any or all of theaspects and embodiments discussed above, and vice versa, to the extentthat they are not mutually exclusive.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, segments of an electronic maprepresenting real world navigable elements of a navigable network areassociated with data indicative of a respective quantity parameter. Aplurality of the segments, and preferably each segment of the electronicmap is associated with such data. The quantity parameter has a valuewhich is indicative of the amount of precipitation remaining on thenavigable element or portion thereof represented by the segment, andthus, in embodiments, will typically have a value of zero when there isno precipitation remaining on the element. As will be appreciated thequantity parameter is not typically a measure of the actual amount ofprecipitation on the navigable element, but is instead a valuerepresentative of the amount relative to a normal, dry condition. Thequantity parameter is a dynamically varying parameter. The value of thequantity parameter for a given segment will increase over time whenprecipitation from a weather event falls on the navigable element orportion thereof represented by the segment. As will be appreciated theincrease in the value will stop when the weather event moves on and newprecipitation is no longer falling on the element represented by thesegment. In addition, the value of the quantity parameter for a givensegment will decrease over time, assuming the parameter is not alreadyat zero. This aging reflects that the level of standing precipitationwill reduce in the absence of any new precipitation weather events, andalso reduces the value of the quantity parameter even when no orinsufficient positional data is received for a segment. The Applicanthas realised that by monitoring the speed of devices, e.g. vehicles.along the navigable elements based on live positional data, andcomparing the determined speed to an expected speed, e.g. one based onhistoric data, then it is possible to make a judgement as to whetherprecipitation remains on the navigable element and continues to have aneffect on traffic flow. In other words, when measured speeds for anavigable element are less than an expected speed, then it can beassumed that this reduction in speed is due to precipitation remainingon the navigable element. The value of the quantity parameter isdecreased based on the comparison between the measured speed and theexpected speed, such that the value decreases faster when one or moredevices are measured travelling at or close to the expected speedrelative to one or more devices that are measured travelling at a speedthat is much less than the expected speed. Therefore, after a certainperiod of time, and as a result of the aging and/or due to obtainedpositional data, the quantity parameter reaches zero (unless a newweather event causes an increase in the parameter). At this time, thenit can be said that precipitation from a recent weather event is nolonger affecting traffic flow on the navigable element.

As discussed above, the weather data is indicative of weather conditionsapplicable to a current time, and thus the weather data preferablycomprises live weather data. In the present invention according to thepresent aspects, the weather data is indicative of one or moreprecipitation weather events, such as rain, hail, snow, etc, that coverat least a portion of the geographic area.

In the present invention, the obtained positional data is used todetermine a speed of travel for one or more segments. The positionaldata used in accordance with the invention is positional data relatingto the movement of a plurality of devices along the or each navigableelement with respect to time. The method may comprise obtainingpositional data relating to the movement of a plurality of devices withrespect to time in the network of navigable elements, and filtering thepositional data to obtain positional data relating to the movement of aplurality of devices along a given navigable element with respect totime in the applicable direction. The step of obtaining the positionaldata relating to the movement of devices along a navigable element maybe carried out by reference to the electronic map data indicative of thenavigable segment representing the navigable element of the network. Themethod may involve the step of matching positional data relating to themovement of devices in a geographic region including the network ofnavigable elements to at least the or each navigable segment of theelectronic map that is being considered in accordance with theinvention.

In some arrangements the step of obtaining the positional data maycomprise accessing the data, i.e. the data being previously received andstored. For “live” positional data, it will be appreciated that the datamay be stored shortly before being used, so that it may still beconsidered to be live data. In other arrangements the method maycomprise receiving the positional data from the devices. In embodimentsin which the step of obtaining the data involves receiving the data fromthe devices, it is envisaged that the method may further comprisestoring the received positional data before proceeding to carry out theother steps of the present invention, and optionally filtering the data.The step of receiving the positional data need not take place at thesame time or place as the other step or steps of the method.

The method of the present invention preferably involves obtaining andusing “live” positional data relating to the movement of a plurality ofdevices with respect to time along the or each navigable element. Livedata may be thought of as data which is relatively current and providesan indication of relatively current conditions on each navigableelement. The live data may typically relate to the conditions on theelements within the last 30 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes or 5minutes.

As will be appreciated the speed of travel determined from the livepositional data may be based on the movements of a single device (ifpositional data was obtained from only a single device in the last timewindow, e.g. the last 5 minutes) or it may be based on the movements ofa plurality of devices (if positional data was obtained from a pluralityof devices in the last window); the speed of travel in this latter casebeing a measured average speed.

As discussed above, the expected speed for a segment may, in someembodiments, be a historical speed of travel for the navigable elementor portion thereof represented by the segment. Preferably, in thecontext of the present aspects, the historical speed of travel is ahistoric average speed, e.g. determined from historical positional dataas discussed above. The expected speed of travel for a segment willtypically vary with time, and a segment will have a plurality ofexpected speeds associated therewith; each expected speed being inrespect of a different period of time. Thus, in embodiments, theexpected speed of travel used in the comparison is selected for theappropriate period of time in which the speed of travel is measured.

In preferred embodiments the increase of the quantity parameter as aresult of a precipitation weather event takes the form of a discretestep in the value of the parameter, i.e. a discrete jump. The magnitudeof the step may be set as desired. In some embodiments the magnitude ofthe discrete step is based on the severity and/or type of theprecipitation weather event. For example, the discrete step ispreferably proportional to the severity, e.g. such that the discretestep is larger for more a severe precipitation event to reflect that alarger amount of precipitation would fall within a certain period oftime.

Similarly, in preferred embodiments, the decrease of the quantityparameter due to positional data takes the form of a discrete step inthe value of the parameter, i.e. a discrete drop. The magnitude of thestep may be set as desired. In some embodiments the magnitude of thediscrete step is based on the magnitude of the difference between themeasured speed and the expected speed as determined in the comparison.For example, the discrete step is preferably inversely proportional tothe magnitude of the difference, e.g. such that the discrete step islarger for smaller differences. This reflects that the closer themeasured speed is to the expected speed then the smaller the level ofprecipitation remaining on the navigable element. In other words, thequantity parameter reduces to zero quicker when the measured speed isdifferent to the expected speed by a first value in comparison to whenthe measured speed is different to the expected speed by a second value;the second value being larger than the first value.

As discussed above, the value of the quantity parameter decreases overtime according to a predefined function, i.e. a decay function, in theabsence of any precipitation weather event, to reflect that the level ofstanding precipitation will reduce due to in part to evaporation and themovement of vehicles along the navigable network. The predefined decayfunction that is used to age the quantity parameter associated with asegment may be of any suitable form. For example, the decay function maybe at least one of: a linear function, an exponential function, and apolynomial (e.g. quadratic, cubic, etc) function. In some embodiments,each modification of the value of the quantity parameter associated witha segment due to the comparison between the determined speed of traveland the expected speed of travel for the segment, i.e. due to positionaldata, provides a discrete step in the value of the quantity parameter toprovide a new starting point from which the value of the parameter thendecays with respect to time.

The predefined decay function, which ages the quantity parameter for asegment can, in preferred embodiments, be based on temperature data forthe segment. The temperature data is preferably indicative of atemperature at the location of the navigable element represented by thesegment at a current time, and thus the temperature data preferablycomprises live temperature data. The dependence of the decay function ontemperature reflects that the standing precipitation on the navigableelement, e.g. water, snow, etc, will disperse, e.g. melt, evaporate,etc, more rapidly, and thus have a reduced effect on the flow of trafficalong the navigable element, as the temperature increases. In otherwords, if the temperature is below or at freezing, any snow or water ona navigable element will remain on the navigable element for asubstantially longer time than if the temperature is above freezing.Accordingly, and as will be appreciated, the dependence of the decayfunction on the temperature is such that the quantity parameter reducesto zero quicker when the temperature is at a first value in comparisonto when it is at a second value; the first value being higher than thesecond value. In other words, the rate of decay of the quantityparameter (due only to the predefined decay function) is proportional tothe temperature.

The method can therefore comprise obtaining temperature data, and usingthe temperature data to determine a current temperature for at leasteach of the one or more identified segments representative of navigableelements within the portions of the geographic area affected by the oneor more precipitation weather events. In embodiments, a currenttemperature can be obtained for each of the segments of the electronicmap. The temperature data may be obtained from any suitable source orsources of temperature data. The temperature data can, for example, beobtained from the same source as the precipitation data (or otherweather data); although it is envisaged that the temperature data couldbe obtained from a different source. For example, the temperature datamay be obtained from a weather server. The server may be a differentserver may be a different server to a server that, in preferredembodiments, performs the method of the present invention. Thetemperature data may be indicative of one or more regions, each regionhaving the same temperature, and each region being representative of ageographic area. Accordingly, the method can comprise identifying theone or more segments within each region of the temperature data, andassigning the temperature indicated by a region to the one or moreidentified segments within the region.

In the present invention data indicative of whether the navigableelement or portion thereof represented by a segment is still affected bya prior precipitation weather event is generated based on the value ofthe quantity parameter for the segment. Preferably such data isgenerated for a plurality of segments of the electronic map.

The data may be an indicator, such as a flag, associated with therelevant segment indicating that it is still affected by precipitationfrom a previous weather event that has now moved on. This indictor, e.g.flag, may be the same as that used to indicate a segment is affected bya weather event, such that the indication is provided when the weatherevent starts affecting the navigable element or portion thereofrepresented by the segment and removed, not when the weather event moveson and stops directly affecting the navigable element or portionthereof, but only when there is no longer an effect on the traffic flowdue to the weather event, i.e. when the quantity parameter decreases tozero. Alternatively a first indictor, e.g. flag, may be associated witha segment for the period of time from when a weather event startsaffecting the affecting the navigable element or portion thereofrepresented by the segment to when the weather event moves on, i.e. whenthe quantity parameter stops increasing, and a second indictor, e.g.flag, may be associated with the segment for the period of time fromwhen the weather event moves on to when there is no longer an effect onthe traffic flow due to the weather event, i.e. when the quantityparameter decreases to zero.

In other embodiments the data may be indicative of the current value ofthe quantity parameter, such that, for example, an icon can be shown touser indicting the amount of precipitation remaining on the navigableelement or portion thereof represented by the segment.

The data may additionally include information about the type ofprecipitation weather event that has affected traffic flow on thenavigable element or portion thereof as represented by the segment.

In embodiments, the data indicative of whether the navigable element orportion thereof represented by a segment is still affected by a priorprecipitation weather event can be used to generate a messageidentifying a stretch of the navigable network, e.g. comprising at leasta portion of one or more navigable elements, and represented by one ormore segments. The stretch does not necessarily need to be indicative ofa congestion and/or weather event, since despite devices traversing thestretch at a speed slower than the expected speed, the measured speedmay not be less than the free flow speed by the amount needed toindicate a weather event or the larger amount needed to indicate acongestion event. This would allow a user to be informed of a stretch ofthe navigable network having conditions, e.g. standing water, snow, etc,that may require the user to take additional care. In other embodiments,the stretch can be indicative of a weather event, i.e. where the currentspeed of travel along the element is reduced relative to the free flowspeed for the element, and wherein said reduction is less than athreshold associated with identifying a congestion event. This wouldallow weather events (and thus any associated delays) to still beidentified even after the adverse weather conditions causing the weatherevent have moved on, since the quantity parameter can be used to provideevidence as to why traffic flow is reduced on the navigable element.

Thus, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, there isprovided a method of identifying navigable elements along which trafficflow remains affected by a previous precipitation based weathercondition in a navigable network within a geographic area, the methodcomprising:

obtaining data indicative of whether a navigable element is stillaffected by the previous precipitate based weather condition based on aquantity parameter representative of the amount of precipitationremaining on the navigable element;

obtaining positional data relating to the movement of a plurality ofdevices along the navigable element with respect to time;

using the positional data to determine a current speed of travel alongthe navigable element;

comparing the determined current speed of travel to a free flow speedfor the navigable element;

determining whether the navigable element remains affected by theprevious precipitation based weather condition, when said comparisonindicates the current speed of travel along the element is reducedrelative to the free flow speed for the navigable element, and whereinsaid reduction is less than a threshold associated with identifying acongestion event as affecting the navigable element; and

generating data indicative of a weather event affecting traffic flowalong the element, when the obtained data indicates the navigableelement is still affected by the previous precipitation based weathercondition.

The present invention extends to a system for carrying out a method inaccordance with the above aspect and any embodiments thereof.

Furthermore, the present invention in these further aspects may includeany or all of the features described in relation to any or all of theaspects and embodiments discussed above, and vice versa, to the extentthat they are not mutually exclusive.

In other embodiments, the stretch can be indicative of a congestionevent with the quantity parameter being used to determine whether thecongestion event can be attributed to a weather event even after theadverse weather conditions causing the weather event have moved on,since the quantity parameter can be used to provide evidence as to whytraffic flow is reduced on the navigable element.

Thus, in accordance with another aspect of the invention there isprovided a method of identifying navigable elements along which trafficflow remains affected by a previous precipitation based weathercondition in a navigable network within a geographic area, the methodcomprising:

obtaining data indicative of whether a navigable element is stillaffected by the previous precipitate based weather condition based on aquantity parameter representative of the amount of precipitationremaining on the navigable element;

obtaining positional data relating to the movement of a plurality ofdevices along the navigable element with respect to time, and using thepositional data to identify a congestion event as affecting traffic flowalong the navigable element;

determining whether the cause of the congestion event is attributable tothe previous precipitation based weather condition using one or moreattributes of the congestion event, when the obtained data indicates thenavigable element is still affected by the previous precipitation basedweather condition; and

associating data indicative of the previous precipitation based weathercondition with the identified congestion event, when the cause of thecongestion event is determined to be attributable to the previousprecipitation based weather condition.

The present invention extends to a system for carrying out a method inaccordance with the above aspect and any embodiments thereof.

Furthermore, the present invention in these further aspects may includeany or all of the features described in relation to any or all of theaspects and embodiments discussed above, and vice versa, to the extentthat they are not mutually exclusive.

It will be appreciated that the methods in accordance with the presentinvention may be implemented at least partially using software. It willthis be seen that, when viewed from further aspects, the presentinvention extends to a computer program product comprising computerreadable instructions adapted to carry out any or all of the methoddescribed herein when executed on suitable data processing means. Theinvention also extends to a computer software carrier comprising suchsoftware. Such a software carrier could be a physical (ornon-transitory) storage medium or could be a signal such as anelectronic signal over wires, an optical signal or a radio signal suchas to a satellite or the like.

The present invention in accordance with any of its further aspects orembodiments may include any of the features described in reference toother aspects or embodiments of the invention to the extent it is notmutually inconsistent therewith.

Any reference to comparing one item to another may involve comparingeither item with the other item, and in any manner.

It should be noted that the phrase “associated therewith” in relation toone or more segments or elements should not be interpreted to requireany particular restriction on data storage locations. The phrase onlyrequires that the features are identifiably related to a segment orelement. Therefore association may for example be achieved by means of areference to a side file, potentially located in a remote server.

The present invention may be implemented in relation to navigableelements of any type. Preferably the navigable elements are roadelements (of a road network). In some embodiments the navigableelement(s) are elements of a highway, but it will be appreciated thatthe techniques are applicable to any type of road element, or indeedother type of navigable element, where appropriate positional dataexists or can be determined. While exemplary embodiments refer to roadelements of a road network, it will be appreciated that the invention isapplicable to any form of navigable element, including elements of apath, river, canal, cycle path, tow path, railway line, or the like. Forease of reference these are commonly referred to as a road element of aroad network. The present invention is therefore applicable to detectinga closure of any navigable element.

Advantages of these embodiments are set out hereafter, and furtherdetails and features of each of these embodiments are defined in theaccompanying dependent claims and elsewhere in the following detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of the teachings of the present invention, andarrangements embodying those teachings, will hereafter be described byway of illustrative example with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method fordetermining when traffic flow along a road element is affected by anadverse weather condition in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method fordetermining when a congestion event is caused by an adverse weathercondition in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates the exemplary thresholds used to identify weather andcongestion events;

FIG. 4 shows a visual representation of a digital map with an indicationof a portion of a road element affected by a weather event;

FIG. 5 illustrates a first exemplary display of a navigation deviceshowing a warning relating to an upcoming weather event;

FIG. 6 illustrates a second exemplary display of a navigation deviceshowing a warning relating to an upcoming weather event;

FIG. 7 is an average speed of travel across a segment histogram forthree different time periods, ‘morning’, ‘noon’ and ‘evening’;

FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D show average speeds of travel across a segmenthistogram identifying possible jam speeds;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method fordetermining if a previous precipitation weather event is continuing toeffect traffic flow along a navigable element;

FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C show examples of the variation in a precipitationquantity parameter;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method fordetermining when traffic flow along a road element is affected by aprevious precipitation based weather condition in accordance with anembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method fordetermining when a congestion event is caused by a previousprecipitation based weather condition in accordance with an embodimentof the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is, in preferred embodiments at least, directed tomethods and systems for determining the existence of a weather eventaffecting traffic flow along a road element in a road network. Theability to determine when a reduction in traffic flow along a roadelement may be attributed to adverse weather conditions is useful,providing the ability to generate data allowing drivers to be warned ofthe weather event.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in relation toFIG. 1. This embodiment of the invention may be used to detect thepresence of a weather event affecting flow along a road element in aroad network. The steps of the method are preferably carried out by aserver.

The method exemplified by FIG. 1 is realised in a live system using livepositional data, e.g. GPS probe data available for analysis within ashort period of time, e.g. 3 minutes. The probe data is vehicle probedata received from devices associated with the vehicles, e.g. GPSdevices, whose position corresponds to that of the vehicle. The probedata may alternatively be referred to as “positional data”. The probe orpositional data is associated with temporal data. The positional datamay be matched to road segments of a digital map representing thenetwork of road elements.

In step 1, weather data is obtained by a server; the weather data beingindicative of weather conditions in a geographic area including at leasta portion of the road network. In step 2, the server obtains positionaldata.

Next, in step 3, the server determines an average speed of travel, ofvehicles along a road element in a given time period. The average speedof travel is determined using live vehicle probe data for the given timeperiod. Thus, the average speed of travel can be considered to be acurrent speed of travel.

In step 4, the server compares the determined average speed for thegiven period to a free flow speed for the element. The free flow speedis indicative of the speed that vehicles are expected to travel alongthe element in under conditions in which there is no, or substantiallylittle traffic. The free flow speed is based upon historical positionaldata relating to the movement of vehicles along the element. The freeflow speed may be determined using digital map data that correspond tothe element. For example, the free flow speed may be included as anattribute associated with the one or more segments representing the roadelement.

If a reduction in the live average speed relative to the free flow speedfor the element is less than a first threshold associated with acongestion event, then a determination is made as to whether the elementis affected by an adverse weather condition—steps 5 and 6. As shown inFIG. 3, the first threshold may correspond, for example, to a 40%reduction in average speed.

If the element is determined to be affected by an adverse weathercondition, then a weather event is generated—step 7. Examples of adverseweather conditions include ice, wind, fog and rain (or other forms ofprecipitation). Optionally, and again as shown in FIG. 3, adetermination may be made as whether the speed reduction is more than asecond threshold, and a weather event generated only in the case whenthe speed reduction is more than the second threshed and less than thefirst threshold. The second threshold may correspond, for example, at a60% reduction in average speed.

The weather event includes a type of the adverse weather condition orconditions affecting the element, and an indication of the elementinvolved. The type of weather condition may be indicated using a code.The weather event also includes data indicative of the reduction inspeed relative to the free flow speed that exists along the element. Theweather event may also be indicative of a start point and length of theaffected portion of the element, and a start time and duration (or endtime) for the event.

As will be appreciated, when the determined speed reduction relative tothe free flow speed is more than the first threshold, then a congestionevent, such as a traffic jam, is inferred. The method shown in FIG. 2illustrates how a determination can be made as to whether the cause ofsuch a congestion event is due to one or more adverse weatherconditions.

In step 10, weather data is obtained by a server; the weather data beingindicative of weather conditions in a geographic area including at leasta portion of the road network. In step 11, the server obtains positionaldata, and the positional data is used to identify a congestion eventaffecting a navigable element, e.g. as described above (step 12).

In step 14, a determination is made as to whether there is one or moreadverse weather conditions affecting the element. Next, in step 15, oneor more attributes of the congestion event, such as the speed of travelwithin the congestion event (such as the current speed determined usingthe positional data as described above) and/or a start time of thecongestion event (e.g. the time at which the determined current speedwas reduced relative to the free flow speed by more than the firstthreshold), are used to determine whether the cause of the congestionevent can be attributed to the one or more adverse weather conditions.

Any one or ones of the following checks may be performed to determinewhether to attribute the cause of a congestion event to an adverseweather condition. Such verifications may include consideration of avariance of speeds of travel along the element according to the livedata. It has been found that the speeds of vehicles travelling along anelement affected by an adverse weather condition tend to be relativelyuniform. Additionally, a check may be performed to see whether thereduction in flow commenced before the adverse weather condition startedto affect the element. This may be determined by consideration of astart time for the adverse weather condition, if such data is provided.If the reduction in flow commenced prior to the adverse weathercondition, it may be assumed that the reduction in flow most likely isnot attributable to the weather conditions. Another check might involvedetermining whether there are other elements having a similar reductionin flow within proximity to the element. If so, it is likely that thisis caused by adverse weather conditions affecting the general area.

Finally, the live average speed for the element may be compared to anexpected average speed and/or a jam speed for the element. This may becarried out by reference to a historical speed data; such data may beassociated with digital map data indicative of a segment representingthe element. If the current speed differs significantly, e.g. by morethan a predetermined amount, from the expected average speed and/or ajam speed, then it is likely that the congestion is as a result ofadverse weather conditions.

The jam speed for an element is indicative of an historic average speedof travel along the element when a congestion event is present on theelement, and preferably at times when the congestion is not attributableto weather. Referring now to FIG. 7, this shows generally at 100 ahistogram of average speeds of travel across a segment for threeparticular periods, morning 102, noon 104 and evening 106. The averagespeeds of travel across a segment, which may have been calculated fromraw data such as historic travel times across the segment, are examplesof historic travel data. The histogram 100 may be considered torepresent historic data in the sense that the data recorded is not livedata. The data is not therefore a direct result of raw data collectionoccurring substantially at the current time, recording actual events onthe road segment within for example the last fifteen minutes. The datamay however be used to predict what may be occurring on the segment atthe present time in view of patterns occurring in traffic levels andbehaviour.

The histogram 100 suggests that in the morning 102 and noon 104 periodsthere was relatively little slow moving traffic, whereas in the eveningperiod 106 there was substantially more relatively slow moving traffic.The histogram 300 further suggests that in all three periods 102, 104and 106 there was a substantial quantity of relatively fast movingtraffic.

Shown on histogram 100 is a jam threshold speed 108 selected to be at 60km/h. The jam threshold speed is an example of a jam condition. The jamthreshold speed is the average speed of travel across the segment belowwhich the travel is considered to have been jammed. In this embodimentthe jam threshold speed was selected simply on the basis of a subjectiveview on what average speed should be considered jammed over theparticular segment. In other embodiments however the jam threshold speedmay be selected according to alternative criteria (e.g. a percentage ofthe average speed of travel across the segment during a period in theearly morning, when the influence of other vehicles may be negligible,i.e. a free-flow speed). In other words, the jam threshold speed may bea selected percentage of the free-flow speed for the segment, thefree-flow speed being the average speed of travel across the segmentrecorded during a selected low traffic period. As will be appreciated,once a jam threshold speed has been defined, all average speeds oftravel across the segment below this speed are considered jammed.

Also shown on the histogram 100 is a jam speed 110 of 10 km/h. As can beseen the jam speed 110 is time independent, i.e. the same jam speed 110is provided for all three periods 102, 104 and 106. In this embodimentthe jam speed 110 has been selected to be the mode of hits below the jamthreshold speed 108. It is therefore an indication of the most likelyaverage speed of travel across the segment when there is a jam. In otherembodiments the jam speed 110 may be defined differently and this isdiscussed later.

Referring now to FIGS. 8A to 7D, alternative criteria for defining thejam speed are illustrated. FIG. 8A shows a histogram 112, FIG. 8B ahistogram 114, FIG. 8C a histogram 116 and FIG. 8D a histogram 118.These histograms 112, 114, 116 and 118 each show historic average speedsof travel across a segment for a single period. As with histogram 100 ofFIG. 7 they all use historic data.

In both histograms 112 and 114 there is a clear low speed mode 120.Assuming that the jam threshold speed has been selected to be above thelow speed mode 120, the low speed mode 120 may be particularly suitablefor selection as the jam speed. For comparison a fifth percentile 122 isalso shown in both histograms 112 and 114. In both histograms 116 and118 there is either no low speed mode or it is far less obvious. In thiscase in particular a percentile such as the fifth percentile 122 may beused as the jam speed.

In other embodiments there are still further options for selecting thejam speed. The jam speed may for example be an average of all averagespeeds of travel across the segment falling below the jam thresholdspeed.

Referring again to FIG. 2, once a determination has been that acongestion event can be attributed to one or more adverse weatherconditions, data is generated in respect of the congestion event, andassociated with the data is an indicative of the applicable weathercondition or conditions—step 16.

Determining whether there is an adverse weather condition affecting anelement, and if so, its type, may be carried out in a number of ways.The determination is based upon live weather data, which may be storedin a repository of a remote weather server. In other arrangements theweather data may be based at least in part on predicted weatherconditions. The server stores data indicative of weather conditionsaffecting regions in the geographic area including the road network. Themethod may involve accessing the weather data in order to look upwhether there is an adverse weather condition affecting the particularroad element, and if so, its type. In other embodiments, road elementsof the road network which are affected by an adverse weather conditionare associated with an indication, e.g. flag indicative of this, and ofthe type of weather condition involved. Determining whether a roadelement is affected by an adverse weather condition may then simplyinvolve determining whether the element is associated with a flagindicative of this. The method may involve initially using the weatherdata to associate such indications, e.g. flags, with affected elementsprior to performing the steps of the present invention. It will beappreciated that a determination as to whether there is an adverseweather condition affecting an element may be carried out in anysuitable manner using appropriate weather data, providing dataindicative of weather conditions and the locations affected by theconditions. In some embodiments the weather data may be in relation tonavigable segments of a digital map representing the elements. However,in other arrangements, it may be necessary to use a position of a roadelement of interest to look up the data, potentially using some form oflocation referencing system, which may be map agnostic. The weather datawill include location data for any weather conditions which may be usedto determine the affected location in any other location referencingsystem.

Once a road element has been determined as being affected by acongestion and/or weather event, and the appropriate data indicativethereof generated, the server may carry out a number of steps, such asone or more of: storing the data; and transmitting the data to anotherserver, or directly to navigation devices or advanced driver assistancesystems (ADAS) associated with vehicles for use, for example, inproviding alerts to a user. The data may be provided as part as atraffic update transmission.

The congestion and/or weather event data that is generated, and whichmay be received and used to provide a warning to a user includes: dataindicative of an identifier for the event; a location of the event, e.g.of a tail or other reference point thereof; a length of the affectedportion; a start time of the event and an associated duration (e.g.indicated by an end time); a type of the weather condition, such as ice,fog, wind, precipitation (e.g. rain, snow, etc); and a severity of theweather condition. The location, start time and duration of an event maybe used by a device, e.g. navigation device, to determine whether theevent is still applicable, for example, for the purposes of calculatinga route to a destination. FIG. 4 shows a visual representation of such acongestion or weather event on a digital map. Here the informationregarding the length and location of the affected portion has been usedto shade the affected portion 22 of a road element to indicate a regionof reduced flow. The head of the portion 24 is marked with an icon 24;although it will be appreciated that the tail of the portion 24 couldequally be shown. The icon may be indicative of the type of adverseweather condition. Examples are shown below the map, indicative of ice,wind, fog and rain.

FIG. 4 illustrates a display 30 of a navigation device showing a warningrelating to an upcoming weather or congestion event. The portion of theroad network affected by the event is shown by the shaded portion 36.The current position of the vehicle on the road network is representedby the current position marker 34, and thus it can be seen that thedevice is on a portion of the road network affected by the event. A usercan, for example, by touching the shaded portion 36 cause a window 32 tobe displayed providing more detailed information about the event. Inthis instance, the window 32 shows the weather type that caused theevent, i.e. “fog, bad weather’, together with the length of the eventand an estimated delay in travel time caused by traversing the event.

FIG. 5 illustrates a display 40 of a navigation device showing a warningrelating to an upcoming weather or congestion event. The warning isshown on a schematic representation of the route being followed 42; thecurrent position of the vehicle being shown by icon 43 and the locationof the upcoming event, which in this instance is 6.0 km from thedevice's current position, being shown by the icon 44. The symbol withinthe icon 44 is indicative of the weather type causing the event, i.e.ice.

It has been recognised that certain types of weather, and in particularprecipitation, such as rain, snow, hail, etc, can still affect trafficflow on roads of a road network for some time after the precipitationhas stopped falling due to the precipitation collecting and lying on theroad. The method may therefore further include monitoring the conditionson roads after precipitation has moved on.

In embodiments, for each road segment, a precipitation quantityparameter is determined. An exemplary method of calculating theprecipitation quantity parameter is shown in FIG. 9. The quantityparameter has a value which is indicative of the amount of precipitationremaining on the navigable element or portion thereof represented by thesegment, and thus, in embodiments, will typically have a value of zerowhen there is no precipitation remaining on the element. The value ofthe quantity parameter for a given segment will increase over time whenprecipitation from a weather event falls on the navigable element orportion thereof represented by the segment (steps 200, 201 and 202). Forexample, as shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C, show situations in which ithas been snowing for 2 hours with the precipitation level increasingfrom 0 to a value of 2. Thereafter, the value of the quantity parameterfor a given segment will decrease over time according to a predefinedfunction (step 203). This aging reflects that the level of standingprecipitation will reduce in the absence of any new precipitationweather events, and also reduces the value of the quantity parametereven when no or insufficient positional data is received for a segment.The predefined function can be based on a temperature of the environmentat the road, such that the quantity parameter ages, i.e. decreases, at aslower rate for lower temperature. This reflects that the level ofstanding precipitation will likely take longer to reduce at lowertemperature, e.g. at or below freezing in the case. The quantityparameter is also decreased based on monitoring the speed of devices,e.g. vehicles. along the navigable elements based on live positionaldata, and comparing the determined speed to an expected speed, e.g. onebased on historic data (step 204). The size of the decrease based onpositional data is based on the difference between the measured speedand the expected speed. Therefore, after a certain period of time, andas a result of the aging and/or due to obtained positional data, thequantity parameter reaches zero (unless a new weather event causes anincrease in the parameter). At this time, then it can be said thatprecipitation from a recent weather event is no longer affecting trafficflow on the navigable element (step 205). Based on the precipitationquantity parameter, messages in respect of stretches of the road networkcan be generated indicating that there is still slowing moving trafficon the stretch due to previous precipitation, as will be discussed inmore detail with respect to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C showthe development of precipitation quantity for one single stretch overtime. As can be seen in bottom chart of each figure it starts withsnowing for 2 hours with an precipitation level of 2.0, where thequantity increases over time. Afterwards it decreases in different ways.

In FIG. 10A, the upper chart shows the precipitation level aging to zeroover time in the absence of positional data, e.g. GPS traces.

In FIG. 10B, GPS traces are received every 5 minutes, with the speed oftravel along the stretch increasing slowly. The upper chart shows theprecipitation level, and a point can clearly be seen where the decreasedue to positional data exceeds the reduction due to aging.

In FIG. 10C, GPS traces are received every 20 minutes, with vehiclesinitially driving until the road is cleared at which time the vehiclesdrive at the free flow speed. Again, the upper chart shows theprecipitation level, and a point can clearly be seen where the decreasedue to positional data exceeds the reduction due to aging.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in relation to FIG.11. This embodiment is based on that illustrated in FIG. 1, and indeedshares a number of common steps: steps 2, 3, 4 and 5, and can be used todetect whether a previous precipitation based weather condition, e.g.rain, sleet, hail, snow, etc, is continuing to have a lasting affectflow along a road element in a road network. The steps of the method arepreferably carried out by a server.

In contrast to method of FIG. 1, if a reduction in the live averagespeed relative to the free flow speed for the element is less than afirst threshold associated with a congestion event, then, despite theelement no longer being affected directly by an adverse weathercondition, a check is made to see if the precipitation quantityparameter for the segment representative of the element indicates thatthe element remains affected by the previous weather condition—step 220.If the quantity parameter indicates that there remains standingprecipitation on the road affecting traffic flow, then a weather eventcontinues to be generated (until such a time as the quantity parameterreduces to zero)—step 7.

A further embodiment will now be described in relation to FIG. 12. Thisembodiment is based on that illustrated in FIG. 2, and again shares anumber of common steps: steps 11, 12, 13, and can be used to continue toassociate the cause of a congestion event to a previous weather event,or to newly associate the cause of a congestion event to a previousweather event despite that event having now passed.

In one embodiment, once a congestion event has been generated andassociated with a previous weather condition, the value of the quantityparameter can be used to allow the system to continue to associate thecause of the congestion event to the previous weather condition. If thecongestion event continues after the quantity parameter reaches zero,then the cause of the congestion can be revised such that is no longersaid to be caused by a weather condition.

In another embodiment, if a congestion event is generated after anadverse weather condition has passed, the quantity parameter can be usedto associate the cause the congestion event to the previousprecipitation based weather condition—see steps 230, 231 and 232. Thetechniques for determining whether the cause of a congestion event canbe attributed to the previous weather condition will typically be thesame as those used described above in relation to method of FIG. 2.

Finally, it should be noted that whilst the accompanying claims set outparticular combinations of features described herein, the scope of thepresent invention is not limited to the particular combinations ofhereafter claims, but instead extends to encompass any combination offeatures or embodiments herein disclosed irrespective of whether or notthat particular combination has been specifically enumerated in theaccompanying claims at this time.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for identifying navigable elements alongwhich traffic flow remains affected by a previous precipitation basedweather condition in a navigable network within a geographic area, themethod comprising: obtaining data indicative of whether a navigableelement is still affected by the previous precipitation based weathercondition based on a quantity parameter representative of an amount ofprecipitation remaining on the navigable element; obtaining positionaldata relating to a movement of a plurality of devices along thenavigable element with respect to time; using the positional data todetermine a current speed of travel along the navigable element;comparing the current speed of travel to a free flow speed for thenavigable element; determining that the navigable element remainsaffected by the previous precipitation based weather condition when thedata indicates the navigable element is still affected by the previousprecipitation based weather condition and the comparison indicates thecurrent speed of travel along the element is reduced relative to thefree flow speed for the navigable element by less than a thresholdassociated with identifying a congestion event as affecting thenavigable element; and generating data indicative of a weather eventaffecting traffic flow along the navigable element.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, comprising generating data indicative of a congestion eventaffecting traffic flow along the navigable element when the comparisonindicates the current speed of travel along the navigable element isreduced relative to the free flow speed for the navigable element bymore than the threshold associated with identifying a congestion eventas affecting the navigable element.
 3. The method of claim 2,comprising: determining that the cause of the congestion event isattributable to the previous precipitation based weather conditionsusing one or more attributes of the congestion event when the dataindicates the navigable element is still affected by the previousprecipitation based weather condition; and associating data indicativeof the previous precipitation based weather condition with theidentified congestion event when the cause of the congestion event isdetermined to be attributable to the previous precipitation basedweather condition.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein navigable elementsare represented by one or more segments of an electronic map, wherein atleast some of the segments of the electronic map are each associatedwith data indicative of a quantity parameter for the segment, thequantity parameter being indicative of the amount of precipitationremaining on the navigable element or portion thereof represented by thesegment, wherein the value of the quantity parameter varies according toa predefined function with respect to time such that the quantityparameter decreases in the absence of any precipitation weather event,and wherein the quantity parameter representative of the amount ofprecipitation remaining on the navigable element is determined by:obtaining weather data indicative of one or more precipitation weatherevents in a geographic area, wherein each precipitation weather eventaffects at least a portion of the geographic area; obtaining positionaldata relating to the movement of a plurality of devices along one ormore of the navigable elements with respect to time and using thepositional data to determine a speed of travel of devices along the oneor more navigable elements; identifying one or more segmentsrepresentative of navigable elements within the portions of thegeographic area affected by the one or more precipitation weather eventsand increasing, for each of the one or more identified segments, thevalue of the quantity parameter associated with the segment; andcomparing, for each of the one or more identified segments, thedetermined speed of travel to an expected speed of travel for thesegment and decreasing the value of the quantity parameter associatedwith the segment based on a difference between the determined speed oftravel and the expected speed of travel.
 5. A method for identifyingnavigable elements along which traffic flow remains affected by aprevious precipitation based weather condition in a navigable networkwithin a geographic area, the method comprising: obtaining dataindicative of whether a navigable element is still affected by theprevious precipitation based weather condition based on a quantityparameter representative of the amount of precipitation remaining on thenavigable element; obtaining positional data relating to the movement ofa plurality of devices along the navigable element with respect to timeand using the positional data to identify a congestion event asaffecting traffic flow along the navigable element; determining that acause of the congestion event is attributable to the previousprecipitation based weather condition using one or more attributes ofthe congestion event when the data indicates the navigable element isstill affected by the previous precipitation based weather condition;and associating data indicative of the previous precipitation basedweather condition with the congestion event when the cause of thecongestion event is determined to be attributable to the previousprecipitation based weather condition.
 6. The method of claim 5, whereinthe navigable elements are represented by one or more segments of anelectronic map, wherein at least some of the segments of the electronicmap are each associated with data indicative of a quantity parameter forthe segment, the quantity parameter being indicative of the amount ofprecipitation remaining on the navigable element or portion thereofrepresented by the segment, wherein the value of the quantity parametervaries according to a predefined function with respect to time such thatthe quantity parameter decreases in the absence of any precipitationweather event, and wherein the quantity parameter representative of theamount of precipitation remaining on the navigable element is determinedby: obtaining weather data indicative of one or more precipitationweather events in the geographic area, wherein each precipitationweather event affects at least a portion of the geographic area;obtaining positional data relating to the movement of a plurality ofdevices along one or more of the navigable elements with respect to timeand using the positional data to determine a speed of travel of devicesalong the one or more navigable elements; identifying one or moresegments representative of navigable elements within the portions of thegeographic area affected by the one or more precipitation weather eventsand increasing, for each of the one or more identified segments, thevalue of the quantity parameter associated with the segment; andcomparing, for each of the one or more identified segments, thedetermined speed of travel to an expected speed of travel for thesegment and decreasing the value of the quantity parameter associatedwith the segment based on a difference between the determined speed oftravel and the expected speed of travel.
 7. A system for identifyingnavigable elements along which traffic flow remains affected by aprevious precipitation based weather condition in a navigable networkwithin a geographic area, the system comprising: a processor; and amemory, the processor and memory configured to: obtain data indicativeof whether a navigable element is still affected by the previousprecipitation based weather condition based on a quantity parameterrepresentative of the amount of precipitation remaining on the navigableelement; obtain positional data relating to the movement of a pluralityof devices along the navigable element with respect to time; use thepositional data to determine a current speed of travel along thenavigable element; compare the determined current speed of travel to afree flow speed for the navigable element; determine that the navigableelement remains affected by the previous precipitation based weathercondition when the data indicates the navigable element is stillaffected by the previous precipitation based weather condition and thecomparison indicates the current speed of travel along the navigableelement is reduced relative to the free flow speed for the navigableelement by less than a threshold associated with identifying acongestion event as affecting the navigable element.
 8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the system is a server.
 9. A system for identifyingnavigable elements along which traffic flow remains affected by aprevious precipitation based weather condition in a navigable networkwithin a geographic area, the system comprising: a processor; and amemory, the processor and memory configured to: obtain data indicativeof whether a navigable element is still affected by the previousprecipitation based weather condition based on a quantity parameterrepresentative of the amount of precipitation remaining on the navigableelement; obtain positional data relating to the movement of a pluralityof devices along the navigable element with respect to time and usingthe positional data to identify a congestion event as affecting trafficflow along the navigable element; determine that a cause of thecongestion event is attributable to the previous precipitation basedweather condition using one or more attributes of the congestion eventwhen the data indicates the navigable element is still affected by theprevious precipitation based weather condition; and associate dataindicative of the previous precipitation based weather condition withthe congestion event when the cause of the congestion event isdetermined to be attributable to the previous precipitation basedweather condition.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the system is aserver.
 11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storinginstructions that, when executed by a system, cause the system toperform the method of claim
 1. 12. A non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a system,cause the system to perform the method of claim 5.